ブログ

Plot
Frederick Manion (Ben Gazzara), a lieutenant in the army, is arrested for the murder of a bartender, Barney Quill. He claims, in his defense, that the victim had raped and beaten up his wife Laura (Lee Remick). Although Laura supports her husband's story, the police surgeon can find no evidence that she has been raped. Manion is defended by Paul Biegler (James Stewart), a rather humble small-town lawyer. During the course of interviews, Biegler discovers that Manion is violently possessive and jealous, and also that his wife has a reputation for giving her favors to other men. Biegler realizes that the prosecution will try to make the court believe that Laura was the lover of the bartender and than Manion killed him and beat her up when he discovered them together. Manion pleads "not guilty" and Biegler, who knows that his case is weak, sets his assistants to try to find a witness who will save Manion. (Written by alfiehitchie)

Cast
James Stewart as Paul Biegler ジェームズ・スチュワート
Lee Remick as Laura Manion リー・レミック
Ben Gazzara as Lt. Frederick Manion ベン・ギャザラ
Arthur O'Connell as Parnell Emmett McCarthy　アーサー・オコンネル
George C. Scott as Asst. State Atty. Gen. Claude Dancer
Joseph N. Welch as Judge Weaver ジョセフ・ウェルチ

Academy Awards
Nominated
Best Picture
Best Actor (James Stewart)
Best Supporting Actor (Arthur O'Connell and George C. Scott)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Editing


今日の映画は1959年公開ジェームズ・スチュワート主演の「或る殺人」です。上の画像にあるようにバラバラ死体のオープニングが印象的です。裁判を中心に繰り広げられるサスペンス映画です。この映画の特徴としてこの当時タブーとされた言葉が使われている点です。パンティや精液とかです。劇中でも裁判長が検察、弁護士を呼んで他の言い方がないかと議論する場面もあります。ちなみに裁判長を演じているジョセフ・ウェルチという人物の本職は俳優ではありません。本来は弁護士だそうで、マッカーシー上院議員によるマッカーシズムを止めようと活躍した人物です。
本作はアカデミー賞6部門にノミネートされましたが、同年公開のベン・ハーに押され賞を獲得できませんでした。